The Pure One
by wizardwalkergrizzly
Summary: There's a girl living in Regina's basement. David knows her, Rumple owes her, and all she wants is to find her family.
1. Regina Mills

**Hi! This is my first OUAT fanfic, but please judge harshly. i decided that the best practice to writing is doing it with already established characters. Feedback is DEFINITELY appreciated, I want to know how to make this better!**

**I don't own OUAT, but I do own the character Azalea Lockes. She is my BABEH!**

Ch. 1

Regina Mills

Regina sat on her couch, curled up on the end, with tears flowing onto her reddened cheeks. She felt worthless, betrayed and utterly alone.

Emma had brought Marian to Storybrooke, and she couldn't help but feel as if it were on purpose. Regina wanted to hurt Emma so bad, and she knew that the only way to properly hurt her was through her family.

For some ungodly reason she remembered talking with Sidney once. They had reconnected briefly after the curse was broken, only to acknowledge that each was in fact back to normal. He asked for an apology she refused to supply him with, and he chuckled under his breath. He said that he was just checking, and kicked some dirt near his foot. Regina had been obsessed with regaining her powers, and really had no patience for the meeting.

He apologized for taking so long. Then he said something very deep. He was so forlorn when he said it, most likely because of his rekindled memories of lost love.

"I was always just your reflection. The truths I spoke were only that of my heart. A mirror is only as good as what's in its glass."

She had watched him walk away with relief at the time, but at the current moment she wanted to ask him about it. He was the person she had gone to in order to feel good about herself.

There was a person she had gone to for hard truth. But why was she thinking of this now?

Oh, right. She wanted to know if Robin loved her or Marian more. Sidney would say that there was a possibility. He would give her hope because he had loved her. He wouldn't squash it easily, he'd try to salvage her feelings.

There was someone, however, who would tell her the truth. Someone she had honestly begun to forget about. The girl wouldn't know the contents of Robin's heart, sure, but she would know what his patterns reflected. She could be watching him right now for all she knew.

Slowly Regina inched towards the basement door.

Once she got there, she flicked on the light. The light only shone upon a staircase, which led to a door. She reached the door and knocked three times.

There was a long pause before she heard a younger voice say "Come in!"

What lay beyond the door was a deep purple room with sea green accents. There was a desk at the far end, littered with notes, binders, pencils…anything and everything really. The computer was large and had multiple windows open at once on the screen. One was security footage, of Granny's no less. The rest were documents, ones already typed and some still waiting to be finished.

Nearer to the door was a black wrought iron bed with light green sheets. It was messy and littered with snack wrappers. The trash can next to it was overflowing, and Regina realized that in the past few weeks she had neglected to take care of her house pet.

"Regina! Thank god, I was beginning to think you'd died!"

The girl was sitting in a wheely chair. She didn't look too good. Her eyes were rimmed with pink and her long, brown hair was extremely messy.

"Z. I'm so sorry." She honestly was. Back in the Enchanted Forest, Z had helped her find everything she needed for Rumple's curse. Constantly scouring the woods, she'd come back and sit in a dusty old room making sure everything was correct. When the curse hit, Regina let her keep her memories as a thank you. Well, almost all her memories…

"It's fine." Her smile was weak, and didn't reach her blue eyes the way it usually did. She was smaller than Regina remembered. Z was a full-figured girl, and now she was just skinny. Not rib-showing skinny, but not healthy for her.

"Here's my list. Can you..?" Z hesitated. "Can you get it by tomorrow? No rush or anything, but I'm dying here."

Z was of course being figurative, but Regina paled anyway.

Regina sniffled, chasing away the last of her tears. Z looked up, scared, as she strolled over. But Regina only took the paper with the list and went back upstairs.

Z sat for a minute, lost in thought, before slowly turning around and going back to the computer screen.

* * *

Regina sat in her carriage, her eyes scoping out the terrain. Bandits here were pathetic, she knew. She wasn't worried about being attacked.

She was still trying to get Rumple to think she was ready to cast the curse. He had been a bit hesitant at handing it over, but she was ready. She wanted to do this and become the strongest in the land. She wanted to rule.

She had to admit, most of those feelings were hate or spite. Deep down she was still Regina, who loved Daniel and wanted nothing to do with magic. But that was buried way down, at the bottom of the emotion box. She didn't have time to deal with sad, pathetic Regina. She had a Dark One to win over.

The men driving the carriage called for a stop. Regina huffed. This was the third time they'd stopped, and the past two were only little logs in the road. She couldn't deal with another minor irritant.

So she threw open the door of the carriage and yelled "Unless one of you is bleeding to death, I suggest you cease this stopping and starting!" She walked to the front of the carriage. The men stared not at her, but at the road.

"Hey! Are you even listening-"

She was stopped by two of her men parting to reveal the road in front of the carriage. There, not even an inch away from the front wheels, was a body. It was a girl of about nineteen, with brown hair. Her wrist was cut and she was bleeding profusely onto the ground.

"She's got a pulse."

And right there, Regina saw herself. So many times she'd thought of ending it the exact same way. Slow enough to feel her death, but quick enough not to suffer. She saw the dagger next to the girl's arm. It had a glass blade and a wooden handle. It was stuck together with string and tree sap. She had made the blade herself. It must have taken hours, maybe even a few days to make it. And she had patiently made a beautiful weapon with which to take her life. This girl clearly had no second thoughts. She wanted the perfect end.

And as much as Regina didn't want to take that away from her, she didn't want to leave her there to die.

"Stop the bleeding. I'll take care of her." She sneered as she said it, but the men were still surprised. Regina wasn't one for random acts of kindness. They stood, staring, still in the circular formation around the girl.

"Well! Do you want her to die?"

Two of the men quickly bound her wrists and carried her to the carriage. "Get me a cloth soaked in water from the river." One of the men ran to do so. The other stood there, and Regina bid him to get the knife. When he returned, she dismissed him. She did the same with the one who had gone to the river once he returned.

"Let's get out of here."

A few seconds later the carriage began to slowly start on its path once more. Regina turned to the girl on the seat opposite her. Awkwardly she kneeled, cloth in hand, and wiped the blood off her arm. The dress was ruined, not only from the blood. It was covered in dirt, with sticks stuck to the petticoat. There were tears on the arms, most likely from quick stumbling through the woods. She had been running.

Regina put the cloth on her forehead. If the girl was comatose, she'd leave her in the nearest boarding house. But she wouldn't be sure for a week. Until then, she'd have to keep her at the castle.

Regina sighed.

This was going to backfire, she knew it.


	2. David Nolan

**Hey! So to recap, Regina is upset because of Marian's presence in Storybrooke, and she remembers that her assistant is down in the basement. **

**Then, in the fairytale world, Regina finds an unconscious Azalea on the road in front of her carriage.**

**I don't own OUAT, but I do own Azalea Lockes!**

Ch. 2

David Nolan

David cooed softly at his son. The fight with Zelena had honestly scared the bejeezus out of him. He didn't want to lose his one and only second chance at this. Being a dad, raising his own child. Emma would always be his daughter, his precious girl. But she didn't need him every hour of every day anymore. He wanted the chance to know what that felt like.

He stared down at Mary Margaret. She smiled back, and their life was in perfect harmony. His son was sleeping in his wife's arms, his wife was honestly happy, his daughter was exploring her own newfound sense of home, and Regina was yelling furiously at her.

He jerked his head up at the sound.

"You never think about the consequences!"

David looked back down, his son now waking up, Snow focused on their daughter. The peace was over. His life was back to normal-hectic as all hell.

After she left, David whispered to his wife that he'd take care of it. She smiled, kissed him, and told him she was going home.

David walked up to Emma, who was sitting at the bar. Hook had retreated for the night, realizing she needed space and that him smothering her would just make things worse. David sat down next to his daughter, and laid a comforting hand on her back. He wasn't sure what had happened, but whatever it was had Emma feeling very guilty.

Before he could ask what was wrong, she pointed towards a booth in the corner. David looked and saw Robin talking seriously with a woman he remembered from a long time ago. A woman that Princess Leia and Prince Charles had decided to save.

Oh.

"Robin's wife I take it?"

Emma only nodded before gulping down the last of her drink. Ruby sidled up and refilled the glass. David ordered his own.

"It's my fault. I should have listened to him."

"Who?"

"Hook."

David nodded. For once, Hook was the voice of reason. He silently applauded the man.

"You saw someone who needed saving, and you saved them. How can that be bad?"

Emma shook her head. "Time is like, the most dangerous thing to mess with. Every movie I've ever seen that involved it had the protagonist fixing everything so it happened the same way. I did that too. I let those trolls die, I let those guards get hurt when we tried to evade them, but I couldn't let some stupid girl die."

David knew this was hard for her. She'd ruined Henry's other mother's life. This would have repercussions, if only because it was Regina.

"The trolls were trying to kill your parents, and the guards were trying to stop you from getting us together. They were in the way of you fixing things. That girl is now back with her family. You did the right thing. Regina will figure her own emotions out, she can't blame you for helping her."

David knew that Regina could, and would, do exactly that. But Emma didn't need to know that.

Of course, Emma already did. "Don't bullshit me. She'll get back at me, I know it."

David just sighed. After ten more minutes of talking, he left her there. Kissed her on the top of her head, said once more that she'd done the right thing, and walked out of the diner.

It was the times when he couldn't help those he loved that he felt like the shepherd. That sense of lowliness. Happiness, yes, because he had a family. He had a life he enjoyed. But he wasn't quite where he wanted to be. He thought about the day he first went to the castle. Ushered in as the funeral for a brother he'd never meet had ended.

A voice in his head was speaking to him. He tried to pinpoint it, but had some trouble. He continued walking toward the loft, a look of concentration planted on his face.

"Impossible."

He remembered. And it almost hurt to see that girl's pain. He didn't want to disappoint anyone like that, to fool anyone into thinking that he was his brother. He wanted to be the prince, yes, but he didn't want to make the same mistakes as the first prince.

David blinked rapidly before finding his way up the stairs and into the door of his home.

* * *

The carriage rolled up to the front of the largest castle-and the only castle-the shepherd had ever seen. His eyes trained on the towers jutting vertically from the top, and the stone that seemed to go on for miles. His heartbeat quickened in fear and amazement. He was actually at the king's castle. All those years of seeing it from a distance were at an end. He smiled, but only halfway.

His brother was still dead.

He never met him, but he was his brother. All past deeds aside, that mattered. No one deserves death.

The shepherd quickly followed the king's men into the vestibule of the castle.

"Wait here." They all left, and the shepherd stood awkwardly near the entrance. He looked at the curving steps straight across from him. They were carpeted in a bright red. He turned his head to the side, looking at the stairs.

A girl came rushing in from opposite where the guards had gone. She had with her a bag, seemingly for travel. The shepherd assumed it was a sister.

She was being escorted by two of the king's men. She sniffled before trudging along with them, glancing up at the shepherd.

She stopped, and so did the guards. Her eyes locked onto his, and she turned to him. One of the guards laid a hand on her shoulder, which she brushed off.

"Impossible." The word slipped into the silence and confused the shepherd. "You're not real. You're just…" She reached for him, her fingers innocently touching his sleeve, before the guards forcibly pulled her away.

She kept looking at him, the tears welling in her eyes blurring her vision. He looked on after her, and kept the image of her retreating figure in his mind.

Impossible, she had said.

She was right of course. The whole situation was impossible. The shepherd turned as the king came up to him, and said, "Well, he'll need a haircut and some fresh clothes. Get grooming."

Impossible, yes, but very real.


	3. Rumplestiltskin

**Recap time! David notices Regina yelling at Emma, and attempts to comfort her. **

**In the fairytale world, Shepherd David arrives at the castle and sees a mysterious woman exiting the castle, who mutters the word, "Impossible".**

**I don't own OUAT, but I do own Azalea Lockes!**

Chapter 3

Rumplestiltskin

Rumple hadn't seen Regina for a few days, and that worried the hell out of him. The Queen was cunning when she needed to be, so whatever she was planning wouldn't be pretty. The loss of true love always drove people to their worst selves. He would know. He thought he'd lost Belle for almost 30 years. He snuggled in closer to her on their bed. Their wedding night was as blissfully romantic as he could ever have hoped. Now, with four days of being married under their belt, they were getting comfortable with each other. They were starting to form routine.

Rumple found that to be a good thing.

The two lived peacefully under one roof, just enjoying each other's company. Belle began to stir, and Rumple was just about to tell her he loved her, when there was a knock at the door.

Rumple knew that whatever desperate urchin needed him could wait until he'd at least said a proper 'I love you' to his wife, but her eyes flew open and she smiled. "Get the door."

He moved a few strands of hair off her face. "I love you." There. He'd done it.

They kissed each other and he got up from the bed, pulled on his robe and made his way downstairs.

The morning light streamed through the kitchen windows, and he stood in the doorway letting his eyes adjust. The morning was never a good time before Belle came back into his life. There had been either a promise of a wife who no longer loved him, or no wife at all. Not even a friend to grace his life. Now mornings were full of potential.

And of course, when he opened the door, it was someone he'd never imagined to see.

"Azalea?"

She blinked. "Good to see you too…I guess."

Rumple just stared at the girl. She was a sight for sore eyes. He hadn't seen her in years, even without the curse, and her presence in Storybrooke was a bit of a shock. Why hadn't he seen her for 30 years?

"What are you doing here?" She looked him up and down before smiling. "I have a favor to ask."

Rumple rolled his eyes and invited her in. She smiled and stepped over the threshold gratefully. He directed her toward the kitchen, where she sat at the island. He meandered up to the fridge and opened it. "Want some juice?" he said, far too casually.

Azalea shook her head. "You look different without the, uh…green."

He chuckled as he poured himself a glass. He put a second one in front of her. "Oh, I said no to the juice."

Rumple replaced the bottle to the fridge. "You were being polite."

She looked at him uneasily for a second. Then she smiled widely and gulped down half the glass. He grabbed his own and took a small sip.

"So what favor are you asking for?" He honestly wanted to know what on earth could merit her seeking him out. He assumed she hated him.

Unless…

"I want you to reverse it."

Rumple stopped mid-sip and set his glass down. He swallowed, and looked straight at her. He knew this day would come.

There was no way he would do that. It was too dangerous.

"Sorry, dearie. No refunds." He began to pull out eggs to make breakfast for Belle.

"But I didn't pay for it in the first place."

Rumple sighed, but continued on with what he was doing. Azalea was no threat to him, and she wouldn't kill him. He had no reason to do otherwise.

"Well, even if I did reverse it, I don't do things for free."

She laughed and finished off the juice sitting in front of her. A little dribbled down her chin, and she wiped her sleeve across it.

"You have before."

Rumple eyed the girl warily. She was smart, but he wouldn't let her win. Not this time.

* * *

Rumple was seated in an old tavern near the heart of the forest. The center was where all of the poorer people lived. No one would question him-they had their own problems to run from. His eyes scanned the dimly lit room before his vision was blocked by a man in tattered clothing.

"You're him then?" he said. His eyes were full of fear and awe and an unmistakable pain. Rumple grimaced. "A-to who are you referring to?"

The man stared at him. Rumple waited impatiently for the response. "The…the Dark One."

The Dark One himself giggled, and stood up. "At your service." he said bowing.

"Fred." He jutted his hand out to shake. Rumple took it and gave it a curt grip before sitting back down, Fred following suit.

"So…Fred…whatever do you need from the Dark One?" He was playing with his food-bad habit, but too hard to kick.

Fred stuttered a bit before finally uttering words. "I want to ask you to do something. I'm willing to pay any price."

This perked Rumple's ears, and he leaned forward. "Any price? I'll hold you to that!" Rumple stuck a pointy finger out and onto the man's shoulder. Fred managed to nod.

"Alrighty, dearie, what is it you need from me?"

Fred sighed, and rubbed his hair. The man was older, with grey hair on the sides of his head. His mouth was tight and his hands were calloused. This man knew work, and he knew life. He was also _utterly _normal.

"It's my daughter. She's a bit…slow."

And that's when Rumple realized that this man wasn't just a regular Dark One customer-this man was fate. Assuming this was the slow girl he thought it was, and this man wanted to do what he thought he did, his life was about to get extremely better.

"I need her to change…for my sake and for our porridge's sake."

Rumple shushed the man and smiled. "Not to worry. Rumplestiltskin is on the case. You want her at everyone else's pace?" Fred nodded, resigned. "It is done."

Rumple started to get up, and Fred stopped him. "What is your price?"

Rumple knew that this was important for more than just himself. So he decided to be kind.

"Consider this one on the house."


	4. Regina Mills Part 2

_**Previously on...**_

_** The Pure One...**_

**Sorry, I've always wanted to do that. The recap for this chapter: Rumplestiltskin is approached by Azalea and asked to "reverse it."  
**

**In the fairytale world, Rumplestiltskin is approached by a man named Fred, who says his daughter is simple. Rumple has been anticipating a man with a simple daughter. **

**I don't own OUAT! I do own Azalea Lockes!**

**Also guys, it makes me so happy when you review. I want to hear your ideas. I have the whole story pretty much written, but if people want something or someone to come into play, I'm happy to edit. Even if your review is "this is f-ing terrible", I want to know!**

**To Regina!**

Chapter 4

Regina Mills Part 2

Regina returned to the basement door, five bags of groceries in her hands. She set them down when she heard the doorbell, and quickly strode to the door. Upon opening it, she saw David and took a deep breath. This wouldn't be fun.

"Regina-"

"Don't."

He was clearly here to barter for his daughter, but he wouldn't be getting anywhere. Regina's mind was made, had been since Marian's initial entrance into her life. The Charming family was ridiculously and impossibly in her way every moment. She'd have to keep Emma alive for Henry's sake, but she could always find an excuse to hurt everyone else.

David shifted weight to the opposite foot and crossed his arms. "Emma was trying to do the right thing. You can't punish her for trying to be a good person."

Regina shook her head. "I know. But I can't afford to…whether or not you mean what you have done, you have still done it. My life cannot take so much hurt."

David wanted to comfort her for some reason, but he also knew that she was in the wrong this time.

"Good day, Charming." She slammed the door on him, and went back to the groceries.

Once again, she knocked at the basement door. Z allowed her entrance, and lit up at the abundance of food and supplies.

"Thanks. I wasn't sure if it'd be enough time. I mean, you're Regina, sure, but you've been a bit different lately and I wasn't sure if you'd be as efficient as usual." She began to dig through the bags, searching for her favorite snack. "And with the whole Marian thing I thought maybe you'd just let me die here. I wouldn't put it past you." She found the jumbo bag of Cheetos and opened it. "Storybrooke has changed you, though, so I wasn't sure. Oh, and your feelings for Robin might have clouded your judgment. I'm not so sure you would have remembered I was even down here if he hadn't broken your-"

"Don't you dare say it."

Z looked up and immediately turned around, returning to her work. Regina was clearly angry about her outbursts, Sure, Regina knew the girl liked to talk a lot, but never had she ever talked so much about something so personal. Regina surely wanted to rip her vocal chords out and throw them into the next Charming family dinner.

Instead, she opted to stomp back up the stairs and slam the door.

Not long after, Regina decided to make some Apple-ology Turnovers. The name wasn't her own. Z called them that when she had made them the first time. Z was trying to be a friend, as she always had been. But she didn't want a friend-or she hadn't. Now, however, a friend might be what she needed to get over Robin, and maybe even Emma Swan's "betrayal".

Slowly she sidled down the stairs and through the door, and she left the turnovers on her bed. Looking over, she noticed Z watching security footage once again. This time it was live, and it showed Marian and Robin having a discussion in one of Granny's booths. They seemed to be arguing fiercely, and Regina secretly enjoyed it. Clearly it wasn't a swimmingly good connection this time around. But suddenly Regina wondered where Roland was.

"Hey."

Z spit up all over the keyboard. Her soda bottle fell to the floor, getting Mountain Dew all over the carpet. Regina waved her hand, and the liquid was back in the bottle.

"Goodness. What's up?"

She smirked at how badly she had startled the girl. "Where..well, where exactly is Roland?"

Z cracked her neck nonchalantly. "At the diner with his parents."

With his parents. That stung Regina, but she had no time to dwell. She rushed out of the house and to the diner.

They were still arguing when she walked in. She ignored the quarreling to find Roland on the floor, playing with some toys. The boy would look to his parents every few seconds, so obviously upset it made Regina's heart squeeze sickeningly tight.

"What do you two think you're doing?"

Robin and Marian looked up. Marian was clearly annoyed. Robin was slightly surprised, possibly happily.

No.

Regina couldn't allow herself to think like that.

"Your son is right there, and you two are yelling like it's a contest. Have a discussion, especially when you're in public. Especially when you're with your son. If you want to argue, call a babysitter."

Roland jumped up before Robin or Marian could react. "Regina!"

She hugged him, careful not to touch him too much. She chose to put her hand on his head as he hugged her leg. "Hi, sweet one."

Marian stood up and crossed her arms. "Don't touch my son."

"Marian." Robin sighed.

"No, she's not touching my son." She grabbed Roland's arm and tugged him away.

Regina nodded. "I apologize."

"She also doesn't get to tell us how or where to have a discussion." Marian glared at her, but Regina wasn't fazed.

Robin stood and placed a hand on his wife's shoulder. "But she was right. Do you want Roland to listen to this? Or the whole town for that matter?"

Marian's jaw clenched. Not only was Regina right, but Robin had taken her side. She scoffed and left the diner. "I'll be with the men."

Robin looked awkwardly at Regina, and she smiled courteously. "Sorry. But I couldn't let that go on."

Robin nodded. He opened his mouth to speak, but Regina just held a finger up and shook her head.

"Let's not."

* * *

Regina looked over at the young girl lying on one of the many guest beds. Three days had gone by since she had arrived and no change. Regina held a glass of water to her lips and lifted the top of her body, cradling her in her arms. Carefully she let a drop of water slip into her mouth.

"hmmmmmm."

Well shit.

Regina threw the girl down and stood up before she could tell she had been holding her.

There was a fluttering of eyelashes before a cough. Regina looked the opposite way, pretended that the cough had interested her and turned around. She snuck a peek, and saw the girl's blue eyes roaming over the room.

"The Evil Queen's castle."

Regina raised her eyebrows, but didn't question her assumption.

"Yes, now you know my name. Please...enlighten...me with yours."

The girl sat up, holding her wrist. There was a pink scar, still tender, where she had split the skin apart with the makeshift dagger. Regina thought this girl would answer immediately. Being the Evil Queen made most people cower in fear. But her ward merely sniffed and continued scoping the place out. After a few more moments Regina grabbed the girl's arm and held her purple, talon-like nails over the scar there.

"Answer, sweetie, or ill decide you're no longer worth it."

Also unexpected was her reaction to the threat. She smiled warmly and shifted on her seat.

"Azalea Lockes."

The older woman narrowed her eyes at the peculiar youth before her. After a bit of glaring she let go of her arm and walked swiftly towards the door.

"Am I your prisoner?" Azalea was bemused at the whole ordeal. The Evil Queen had saved a poor girl from dying. What could have possibly caused such a change of heart? She hoped she was staying for a while- or at least long enough to figure Regina out.

Regina knew this was a horrible idea. This girl would be useless and she'd end up killing her anyway out of pure annoyance. She'd giver a day or two, so she could have fun with her. But come boredom, Azalea was going to die.

"That's 'am I your prisoner Your Majesty'."

And with a sneer the woman was gone.


	5. Emma Swan

**Alright, so during the last chapter, Regina is confronted by David before she goes into the basement where she sees Robin and Marian fighting. **

**In the fairytale world, Azalea wakes up and Regina acts indifferent.**

**I don't own OUAT, but I do own Azalea Lockes!**

Chapter 5

Emma Swan

Emma knew that Rumplestiltskin was, for the most part, a changed man and all that BS. The man was Henry's grandfather, and was well on his way to proving himself. But she couldn't shake the feeling of concern when she saw him escorting a young girl into the woods.

Maybe he's a pedophile.

Or he's killing her.

Is it bad that I want to put my money on pedophile?

Emma shook her head. Neither could be true. She was being paranoid. He was merely showing her the luxury of the forest.

Emma noticed Killian sitting in a booth far away from her window seat (and vantage point).

Was he mad? Giving her space? Had he noticed her?

Now she was being a teenager.

Emma walked over to him and smiled. He returned it fully. "Hey. Look, I know we haven't talked for the past couple of days. I want to...but right now I'm on a case and I have to go. Can we meet here at seven?"

The pirate nodded, looking away for a moment, but ultimately back at her. "Aye. I want to talk with you as well."

Just then a gust of wind came from the door opening. It was twenty degrees cooler than it should have been. Both Emma and Killian held their arms to brace the colder temperature.

Emma stared at Dr. Whale, who clearly hadn't expected his entrance to go that way.

"Uh..." he started. "Sorry?" He paused a bit longer before rushing to the counter and taking a seat.

"I'll see you at seven." This had peaked her interest. Killian must have felt similarly because he had the same look on his face.

"Yeah. See you later, lass."

Emma fast-walked out of Granny's and immediately regretted it. It was freezing out. Her leather jacket and button down were not enough for the crazy weather.

She also had no idea where to go. The weather changing this drastically was crazy, yes, but certainly not specific to anyone in Storybrooke. Maybe this wasn't magic. Maybe she was being paranoid. Again.

She then remembered five minutes ago. Rumple and an unidentifiable young girl heading into the woods a few minutes before the largest inclement in weather change she has ever experienced?

Possibly related. And that was good enough.

She trudged to where the pair had entered the tree line. Her hair whipped around her head, and she had to stop a few times to keep from falling over. As she got deeper in, the wind and cold worsened.

What the hell?

Emma stopped once more. She looked ahead of her, trying to spot them. What she spotted instead was on the top of her crazy list.

There was a castle made of ice six feet away from her. All around it, snow was falling. But only within one foot of the castle. Everywhere else was just cold as crap.

The thing was tall, and it poked out from the treetops. The trees had covered it for most of her walk, and she was so cold that she hadn't even really looked up. Emma sighed.

Four days.

That's how long she'd been back from her detour into the past. She came back, ruined Regina's life, and wallowed. She was on the verge of fixing things. She was going to talk to her...crush? Boyfriend? What the hell was Killian to her anyway?

No time.

She walked forward and became immersed in the snowglobe that was the ice castle. She must have come up on the side. She walked clockwise around the structure until she came to two icy doors.

And two icy bodies.

* * *

She had been born.

Z quickly ran around the castle. The ominous purple smoke threatening to engulf the castle was sort of distracting, but she managed to make sure everyone was ok. Regina had left forever ago to ensure Snow and Charming's fate. It was only her, the mirror, and a few henchmen left.

The curse was going to take them someplace horrible, she just knew it.

Z sat down at her desk and lazily reread everything.

Take away happiness...blah blah blah...

Land without magic...yawn...

For Bae...

For Bae.

She shuffled a few papers around and noticed a letter. She was so tempted to read it. Rumple must have slipped it in accidentally. He was a man of many secrets. She hadn't met him since she lost herself. She wanted to know more.

Z decided to spend her last moments with the royals, and asked the mirror to show them to her. He humphed but obliged.

Emma was a bundle of green eyes and chubby cheeks. The prince was fighting with the henchmen one armed, with Emma in the other.

Z smiled. She took a mental note to hold a baby every time she fought.

Emma gurgled as she and her father went into her nursery. He placed her into the wardrobe and kissed her before shutting the doors.

Z sat up. A portal, of course! Sadly, it was only Z's job to ensure Snow had the baby early with a potion she slipped into the prince's satchel disguised as a brew for a smooth childbirth.

"Can you show me the child?"

The mirror sighed. "No. She's in another realm."

Z rolled her eyes. "Did you even try?"

He would have said something snarky if they both hadn't been hit by the same cloud of purple smoke. And instantly they were gone.

She awoke on the floor of a white room. There was a coffee table to her right, and a doorway to her left where she could see what she assumed was the front door. This place was not Regina's castle, and the architecture was foreign to her.

There were footsteps coming from the stairs, wherever they were, and she heard someone say, "I actually did it."

Regina.

She called out to her, and the black haired woman came in wearing only a light pink nightgown. Z stood up and looked down at her own clothes. She quite liked the chunky sweater and tight pants. She fingered her ears, and found a zig-zaggy shaped earring dangling there.

"Well, you look different." Regina never sounded happy when she spoke.

Z shrugged.

After Regina figured out all the appliances with Z's help, the younger girl suggested they check the town out. Regina stepped forward, an apologetic look on her face.

"No one can know that you helped me."

What? Not here, too. She had enough trouble wearing that stupid veil everywhere so no one recognized her. Why did it matter now? The curse had been cast.

"So you're going to hide me away?" Z was mostly joking, but Regina looked at her with a look that said, 'yeah, pretty much'.

"This is crap!" A loud ring sounded. It seemed to come from the front of the house. Z stomped over, and searched wildly for the source of the noise. Regina's implanted memories let her know what it was, and she walked briskly over to the front door and opened it.

"Mirror!" Z screamed. It was in fact the mirror that Regina had in her castle. Instead of being in a portal of glass, he stood there with a whole body.

"Yes?" Regina inquired. Sidney Glass, she thought. Writes the Daily Mirror, has a crush on her...not that different from his real self.

Sidney stared at the young girl. "Who's your friend?"

Z remembered that Regina was intent on keeping her a secret, so she rolled her eyes. Regina said "No one."

Sidney just wanted a budget report from the week before, and Regina found it in her office. He left with a smile and a handshake that lasted a bit too long.

"Oh no!" Z said in mock horror. "He saw me! God forbid!"

Regina sighed. "Look, It's not that I'm ashamed of you or whatever other sickly romantic notion you may think it is. I just need to have all the information about this town, and the easiest way to do that is by locking you in a room, like before, and giving you the necessary materials to get any and everything I need. I'm sorry, but you promised me-"

"A lifetime of servitude. It's cool Reg, I get it. Where you settin' me up?" "The basement. That way no one will see you. I've never had much use for basements, except for a prison."

Z headed towards the basement door. "Figured." she said, as she descended the stairs.

It would be a long time before she came back up.

**I know the last half wasn't really Emma's memory, but she was a baby and that part was important so I cheated Emma out of her first memory. Don't worry, the rest will be all her! **

**Review guys, it makes me happy.. with the smiling and the yays and the butterfly rainbows!  
**


	6. David Nolan Part 2

**To sum it up, Emma is wary of Rumplestiltskin and Azalea, but still finds time to plan a date with Killian.**

**In the fairytale world, Azalea uncovers a letter entitled "To Bae" before dealing with the repercussions of the curse..**

**I don't own OUAT, but I do own Azalea Lockes!**

Chapter 6

David Nolan Part 2

David sat at his desk at the police station. The clock slowly ticked away the time. The room was silent as he scribbled his signature on a few requests.

Things had been fairly quiet for the past few days.

Ever since he had visited Regina she hadn't done anything. Yes, it was unusual. But he wasn't going to look a gift horse in the mouth.

What was more unusual was Emma being so late. She hadn't called or anything, and it was now an hour and a half after she was supposed to show up.

He supposed now was as good a time as any to panic.

So he put down his pen and reached for the phone. Before he could even get the lock screen, it began to buzz. "EMMA" the screen read. He picked it up quickly and shoved it to his ear.

"Hey, sweetheart where-"

"I need backup in the woods!"

David paled. "Where in the woods?" Well, he wasn't telepathic.

"Ice castle-you can't miss it. Hurry, she's got me, Rumple, and two others I don't know." She sounded exasperated.

David nodded. "I'm on my way."

Emma thanked him. He was about to hang up when she said his name once more.

"Bring salt. You know, for the ice."

David wasn't sure if she was kidding or not, but he decided on not. "Got It."

He stood up and grabbed his jacket. His truck keys were hung by the door, and he snatched them up on his way out. There was a bag of rock salt by the door, and he picked that up as well. He went through the first set of doors and started to feel a bit cold. It wasn't unbearable.

But when he stepped out of the next set of doors, he had to go back into the atrium.

Wind was blowing like crazy, making the temperature way colder than necessary. He got himself ready before pushing the door open and facing the cold.

It took him a good twenty minutes to reach the woods at all, and then another twenty to find the castle. The place was humongous, and some trees surely had to have been removed for this thing. On top of it all, it was snowing-but only around the castle.

He continued on until he came to the two large doors at the front. He entered and was surprised to find that it was warmer inside the ice castle than it was outside the ice castle.

There was a grand staircase directly in front of him, leading to an upper level. There was a crystal-sorry ice crystal- chandelier at the center of the ceiling, which towered above him. There had to be a good thirty or so feet between him and the ceiling.

He had to give it to whoever made this place-it was pretty fantastic.

Logic told him that there were no real rooms on the first level, and that if his daughter was somewhere it was upstairs.

So he climbed the icy staircase and hoped like hell that the bag of rock salt wasn't going to be used on such a pretty place.

But with his family's track record, the ice castle would be a puddle within the next hour.

* * *

Being a prince wasn't all that great.

Having to constantly be presentable, even when alone, was exhausting. There were laws and charters to memorize. He had to know geography and science and so many things that he was pretty sure the king never used.

He wasn't interested in any of it. He still did it, to save his mother and their home, but he never truly liked it. It wasn't what he really wanted.

But he had given that choice up.

It wasn't until Midas had him face the dragon that David felt he was doing the right thing. The adrenaline pumping through his veins as he crouched behind a rock, his hands firmly around the sword as it came down on the dragon's vulnerable neck.

David walked into the dining hall to find the king forlorn. His face was buried in his hands and there were stray tears on his chin.

"I just wish she was back. She's the only reminder I have of him."

His wife? David wasn't sure who he spoke of.

"Frederick. Try and find her. James leaves tomorrow for Midas' castle. After he's gone we can house her. It's only been a month since she left. She might be close."

Frederick went off to find "her". David knew now it wasn't his wife, for she was long dead. But who lived in the castle a month ago?

A memory resurfaced, of his first day in the castle a month ago.

Impossible. A girl had said impossible.

He suddenly wanted to stay, but knew that it wasn't an option.

Still, he might find her one day.


	7. Azalea Lockes

**Recap! David gets a slightly cryptic phone call from Emma (salt?)**

**In the fairytale world, David discovers that his "father" misses the 'impossible' girl from when he first came.**

**I do not own OUAT, but I do own Azalea Lockes!**

Chapter 7

Azalea Lockes/Z

Azalea stared intently at Rumple. This was him, the man that had changed her life so drastically forever. He was the one who took everything away from her. He was responsible for her losing herself.

And now he wouldn't take it back.

Sometimes she wanted to get up and huff. That was the old her trying to come out. But Rumple's magic was too strong to undo. So occasionally she huffed when she was really angry or upset. That's all she had, aside from kindness.

And kindness was more like a burden in her current state.

Her sister had always hated how kind and simple she was. Goldie Lockes was better at getting what she wanted, exactly how she wanted it. She wasn't a team player of any kind.

"Please. I'll pay this time if payment's so important."

Rumple just chuckled and continued drinking his orange juice.

In her copious amounts of time researching for Regina, she read a lot on prophecies. Sometimes they were permanent, other times they were changeable. She didn't know which were which, but she knew it was worth a shot to try. That was the only reason Rumple had agreed to help her father. She was prophesized. She was special.

And apparently she could take Rumple down. But she didn't know the whole prophecy.

Of course, Azalea would never intentionally kill or mame Rumplestiltskin in any way, but prophesies were funny like that. You slip on a banana peel and suddenly your friend's dead because you fell into them and knocked them into a pool of sharks.

Or something.

"You have nothing I want."

Azalea smirked and opened her bag. She pulled out a folder with aged paper littered all throughout.

"Before the curse hit," she said, flipping through the pages. "I took the liberty of going through some of the papers on the desk. I was holding a few of them when the curse hit, and they made it over here."

She finally found what she was looking for. She picked out an envelope.

"To Bae. Your son would have loved it." She smiled genuinely because it was true. She meant it. Well, Bae may not have wanted it superficially, but he would have appreciated the wouldn't see it that way of course.

He tried to snatch the letter out of her hand.

"Look. I hate blackmailing people just as much as you love it."

He sighed and she continued. "But I want my old self back. You're the only one who can give it to me."

He decided to finish the last of his orange juice. Then, with a pop of his lips, he grimaced. "Fine."

Azalea smiled wide before tucking the letter away. "As soon as you do it, open the folder and get it. I'm going to put it in the foyer."

She couldn't help the elation she felt. This was what she had been waiting for.

But even when she was happy, she wasn't really happy. She needed the rest of herself to feel whole.

She placed the folder neatly on the end table next to the couch. If he didn't follow through, she'd need to come and get the folder back, and quick.

"Come with me. We'll do it in the woods. The well there will amplify my magic."

Azalea nodded and they left the house.

And then her stomach grumbled.

"Could we maybe go to Granny's? You know, first."

Rumple just looked at her strangely before leading her there.

Azalea had never physically been to Granny's, so this was very exciting. She wanted to try everything on the menu. Well, one day. Maybe not today.

As the pair walked in, eyes shot up to them immediately. With Rumple so much more approachable now, they talked about him a bit freely. But they still feared him.

Azalea didn't know what to get so she looked at Red. No, Ruby. She looked at Ruby and asked what was best.

Ruby smiled. "Breakfast would be the pancakes. For lunch or dinner, go with the lasagna."

Azalea thought pancakes sounded wonderful. Ruby took her order and went off to get it.

Rumple was clearly agitated at their little pit stop. She figured he deserved it. She wasn't about to let him completely off the hook just because he was going to reverse what he had done to her. He didn't know it yet but he was going to help her find her family. She had something a bit stronger than a letter from his lost son to convince him on that one. Soon she would be with her father and Goldie.

She hoped they were in Storybrooke.

The one set of people Regina had forbidden her to find. She wouldn't let her help with the curse without knowing she'd have her loyalty completely. So Regina suggested the curse to prove her worth. Worst idea yet.

"So what's your name? I've never seen you around before." Ruby had said this while setting the pancakes down. Azalea looked up. Red, the girl who ate her boyfriend.

"Oh, uh, it's Z."

Red tilted her head. "Weird. Just one letter? Is it a nickname?"

Azalea cut into her food. She smiled warmly at the werewolf. "Just Z."

Ruby raised her eyebrows, but nodded. Azalea hoped she didn't press. To Rumple, she was Azalea. But to everyone else, she was Z. Only a few people called her by her real name. The old her hated Z, but this version liked its bluntness. She ate the last of her breakfast before turning to the Dark One. "All done."

He nodded. "Then let's go."

So the two went out the door, Emma Swan watching them the entire way.

* * *

The trees grabbed at her pants as she trudged forward. Dirt covered her boots, and stained her skin. There were a few blossoms in her hair. But she didn't mind at all. The fresh air was good.

The past year had been spent this way, walking around, picking up crap jobs and trying to find enough food for the day. The experience had been frightening and exciting all at once, but she was ready to settle somewhere. She needed to figure out shelter to keep her in one place. Travelling across the forest couldn't last forever.

She knew, from endless amounts of researching her maps that she was near King George's castle. Whispers were going around that he was kidnapping trespassers. Azalea made sure that she was as far away as she could get while still heading past it.

The guards must have been forty feet out or so, because they spotted her.

"Got one!" she heard. The men came rushing at her so fast, she barely registered it. But then survival mode kicked in and she began to run as they grabbed her. She thrashed against their hold, kicking and screaming until her lungs were burning. She was going to die, or be a prisoner. That was not the plan. She was looking for a home, to live in for a long time. She'd fix it up with oak furnishings. Live with books and books of information to quench her stupid thirst for knowledge. Maybe she'd adopt an orphan child, raise it up and send it on. Then when she was older seek out Rumplestiltskin and get back what was hers.

But that life seemed to fade away as she neared the castle.

The men guarded her in the front vestibule as they waited for the king to come. She tried to escape five or six times before giving up. Perhaps the king would deem her worthless and let her go. Not that he was known for his kindness.

A balding man wearing a red tunic came forward. King George. He immediately began to inspect Azalea, coming forward and turning her head this way and that. When he went to feel her breasts, she slapped him across the face.

"Brave." he noted. "She'll do."

The guards gripped her arms and took her to an upstairs room, with a bathtub and various scented oils. A few women began to fill the tub upon her entrance. Others sat her down and began to strip her. The guards stayed in case she escaped. Never had she ever felt so helpless as when she was being held prisoner in this bathroom.

She tried to escape once more. She slipped out if the woman's grip and used the attendant as a shield when one of the guards moved to stab her. The attendant cried out as the sword pierced her stomach. Azalea was already headed to the door to the adjacent room when guards poured out of it. She sighed and walked over to the tub. "Fine."

And she took a bath while they cleaned the dead girl's body out of the room.

Her old self would have wept uncontrollably for killing the girl. Then again, her old self wouldn't have thought to use her as a shield in the first place. Roaming the woods, she saw a lot of putrid things. Murder victims and missing limbs and creatures who had been susceptible to natural selection.

An hour later she was dressed in a sea green dress. It went with her eyes, she thought. The king came down the grand staircase and looked her over.

"Now this is much better."

She wanted to spit in his face, but she wanted her life in the woods more.

From one of the other rooms a younger man walked out. He was handsome, with perfect blonde hair and a boyish grin. His eyes sparkled with mischief. The king's son.

"This is my son James. I have been searching for a wife for him and our previous choice was accidentally killed raiding for beans. If you can prove yourself, you will be his."

Oh no, this certainly wasn't what she had expected.

**Review! I really want to know what you guys think. I've already written the whole thing, I think I mentioned that before, but I might get really lazy and just not post anymore chapters, unless you guys tell me you want more. I'm writing another story, so if you guys aren't too fond of this I'll just focus on that one. But you got to let me know, I'm getting really busy. I do theatre, and I'm about to start rehearsing for three shows at once. **

**So tell me if you want this to continue as regularly as it has been, or if I can leave it for awhile. I can do either, you just gotta tell me!**


	8. Rumplestiltskin Part 2

**Soooo...to sum it up... Azalea has Rumple take her out to breakfast before he reverses what he's done to her. (Which is revealed in this chapter!)**

**In the fairytale world, Azalea is captured by King George's men, forced to bathe (oh the horror!) and told that if she proves herself, she can marry the prince. (In the next Azalea POV chapter, her fairytale character will be revealed!)**

**I do not own OUAT, but I do own Azalea Lockes!**

Ch. 8

Rumplestiltskin Part 2

The woods were getting cold.

Which was strange since summer was approaching. The slight wind whipped his lanky hair around and made him fuss over it. His perky companion wasn't fazed whatsoever by the temperature, but instead chose to twirl through the trees. He had a feeling she would do that even if she were walking to her death.

The well couldn't be too far off now. They continued on near where the clearing was, when there was suddenly a swirl of bluish-white. He saw the well not ten feet away, before his attention was captured by the castle beginning to form to his right. Azalea stared in awe, seemingly excited. Of course she was excited.

Rumple knew that this wouldn't end well, but he had to know who this was. And he had a feeling it was someone he knew.

Just then, a blonde girl came into sight. Snowflake-shaped magic came from her hands as she finished the last spire of her new home. She looked over at Rumple and he sighed.

"You!"

Azalea seemed to already know who this was, because she sighed and looked at him with an of course face. Of course it's someone you wronged. Who haven't you wronged?

"Elsa...so good to see you." He inched forward, but she immediately put her hand up to stop him. Instead of icing his feet to the ground like she intended, a gust of wind threw him against a tree. Rumple landed on the ground hard. He could sort f hear Azalea saying he was OK now, and felt her hand graze his as she landed next to him.

There were retreating footsteps into the castle.

Rumple wanted to sit up, but couldn't find the will. He mustered up enough energy to say "Are you OK?"

She grunted back a "yes".

He felt something on his head and hands. It had started to snow. Wind violently hit the back of his neck, and he heard Azalea whimper at the sudden onslaught of weather. They lay there for a good twenty minutes, still reeling from Elsa's magic. It was exceptionally strong, he thought with a hint of glee.

Then there was a familiar voice saying "Oh shit."

Emma Swan, a savior after all.

He felt her turning him over. He looked up at the woman and smiled. "Thank you." he said in earnest.

Azalea started to force herself up, and made it to her knees before requesting help from Emma.

"First question: who did this?"

Rumple was still getting up, so Azalea chirped out that it was Elsa, who was trapped in his basement. Her theory was that Emma had brought it back with her from the past.

Rumple was finally upright. He was ready to do the job he said he would, and leave the now icy woods.

"While I do appreciate your aid, Miss Swan, my companion and I have some business to attend to."

"Which leads me to my second question: who are you?"

She pointed at the girl. She, in turn, put her hand out. "The name's Z. It's nice to meet you, Emma."

Emma looked confused. "Do we know each other?"

Azalea smiled. "No, but I've heard great things. I've watched you since you were born!"

Intelligence, Rumple decided, did not always equal tact.

Rumple and Fred walked through the forest towards the poor man's ramshackle home. Rumple would normally have snapped his fingers and moved on, but with this particular case he had to be sure. This girl was the only enemy he'd ever know that could destroy him. She was exceptionally dangerous, and had to be handled with care.

A small hut could be seen, and a girl stood outside, with blonde hair the color of gold.

But he distinctly remembered brown hair.

He sighed. This wasn't the girl he needed to dispose of.

Sadly, he had shaken the man's hand, and the deal was struck.

"That's her, then?"

Fred looked at him and shook his head. "No, that's my other daughter. Goldie."

Ah, there was still a chance.

The sound of water sloshing filled his ears. Turning, he saw another girl humming and skipping toward him.

"Azalea, what have I told you about skipping with the water bucket? You lose half the water!"

Her face twisted up in confusion. "I don't remember." She set the bucket down and started into the house. She must have forgotten to open the door because she walked right into it.

She stepped back. "Oh."

And then she opened it, before stepping in. She forgot to close it.

Rumple stood there before giggling uncontrollably.

He rubbed his hands together. "Call her back out here."

The man did so. Goldie was eying him, obviously wary of him.

Azalea stepped out of the house. She walked over to her father, completely ignoring Rumple.

"Yes?"

Rumple leaned over. He whispered in his ear that he should ask her a question she won't get right, despite it being a simple question.

The man grabbed his daughter's hand. "Sweetie, what color is the grass?"

Rumple's eyes widened. She didn't know what color the grass was?

Azalea thought about it. And thought about it. And thought about it.

"Whatever color it wants to be. I can't tell it what it is, daddy."

About to be seventeen, and the girl spoke like a child. Rumple smiled. He would foil her purity.

So he snapped his fingers. "Ask her again."

Fred looked at Rumple, but asked the question once more. "What color is grass?"

She looked at him with widened eyes. Her face was stuck for a moment, as if she didn't know how to feel.

Her mouth twitched. Goldie stood frozen.

The blonde sister knew that if Azalea became Intelligent, their father would never love her. Azalea needed more attention, sure, but she also happened to be the spitting image of their mother. So Father always took to her, especially after their mothers' death.

Azalea began to laugh a bit. She began to grab the pail she had previously dropped. "Green, of course. Are you alright father?"

Rumple grinned. Azalea went to refill the bucket. He turned to Fred, who looked genuinely happy.

"Now" Rumple began. "Your daughter is not only at everyone's speed, but her senses are also heightened. She can make connections In her head that most people can't. And if she's too smart for your liking, I can't undo it. I can undo it, however, if she comes to me. So if you want her to stay that way, do NOT tell her about what I have done. As of right now, she doesn't know."

Fred nodded excitedly. "Of course. I won't tell her."

Rumple made his way over to Goldie. She stared at him. "Yes?"

She sounded timid, but he could see through that.

"You and I both know, dearie, that you're not fond of dear old sis."

She swallowed, but didn't try to hide it.

"Know this. If you tell her what I've done, I'll turn you into the very porridge your family makes, and feed you to the bears."

Her face paled, and she nodded slowly in confirmation.

"So long as we're on the same page, Goldie Lockes."

What Rumple didn't know was that Goldie was a bit smarter than she looked.


	9. Regina Mills Part 3

**RECAP! Rumple and Azalea meet Elsa, who throws them against a tree.**

**In the fairytale world, we discover that Rumple has changed Azalea from being ridiculously stupid to super intelligent, but not without threatening her family first.**

**I don't own OUAT, but I do own Azalea Lockes.**

Ch. 9

Regina Mills Part 3

She and Z sat in the basement, planning Regina's revenge on Emma Swan.

"As soon as I get back at her, I'll set you free."

Z normally would have said 'but I promised you a lifetime of servitude', except she wanted something: her family.

Regina was reminded of the times she and Z would plot against Snow. It was eerily similar- a dark room, scrolls everywhere, goblets of wine for Regina and water for Z. Well, in this realm it was Gatorade. Except during the missing year, when she had ale on her 21st birthday.

Regina felt nauseous at the thought of retracing her steps. But Henry wasn't what she was playing for anymore. This time it was about her own happiness, and Henry would forgive her one day.

The first step to the plan was getting Z back to her old self. Then, she'd have to seduce David, who looked exactly like her love James. After that, the only thing left is to turn Hook against Emma somehow. Z said that she had an idea for that, so Regina left it in her more than capable hands.

Of course, Regina had no idea how Z was going to accomplish anything after Rumple changed her back.

But Z kept saying she had a plan. Regina trusted her. Despite years of bickering, they trusted each other implicitly.

Regina had dared to call Z her friend. She decided against it as soon as she tried it in front of the mirror.

After Z left to talk to Rumplestiltskin, Regina realized that trying to ruin Emma Swan was a horrible idea.

Robin would hate her, Henry would hate her, and the alliance with the Charmings that she had so slowly built would be shattered instantly.

Regina decided that good was a path she wanted to take, because good would give her the people that made her happy. Oh god, she had to stop Z from executing the plan.

So an hour after Z had stepped through the door, Regina stepped out. And into the most frigid weather she had ever experienced in pretty much her entire life.

Azalea must be a witch.

She knew things just by glancing over something, and she had a penchant for research. Her senses were very much ridiculously acute, and she understood everything.

Regina decided that this girl would make a very good worker bee.

"Let's strike a deal." Regina smiled as she walked into the girl's room. Azalea looked up from a book and smiled. "What sort of deal then?"

Regina sat down next to her. "You give me a lifetime of servitude in exchange for my saving your life. And you can never see your family again."

Regina didn't want to make the deal unbreakable, in case she decided to kill the girl. Her deal would also come with protection.

Azalea thought about it, and giggled. Yes, this girl was very strange. There was no doubt. But she was useful.

"You want me to be a slave because you picked me up off the road? Because I was so upset that I tried to end everything and you just so happen to find me?"

Regina raised her eyebrows. "It's a yes or a no."

Azalea nodded. "Sure? What else do I have to live for?"

Regina's trademark glare faltered. This girl wasn't strange, she was hurt. She was lashing out because of something horrible.

Azalea seemed to notice the difference in her facial expression. Regina quickly straightened up and walked over to the door. She took the key out of the lock. Then she walked to the window and threw it away.

"You're free to go in and out, so long as you stay in the castle. Unless I tell you otherwise, you're under eternal house arrest."

Azalea nodded and immediately strolled past Regina. "Going Into the kitchen."

Azalea got to the doorway before turning back to Regina's unamused face.

"Oh, did you want anything?"

Regina sighed before following her out of the room.


	10. David Nolan Part 3

**Ok, recap! We found out what Regina and Azalea were doing during the four days between Regina's outburst/our first encounter with Azalea up to the time that Azalea leaves to start their diabolical plan.**** (They were plotting the whole time.)  
**

**In the fairytale world, Regina asks Azalea to be her lifetime servant after she finds out her power makes her really useful.**

**Ok, I don't own OUAT but I do own Azalea Lockes!**

Ch. 10

David Nolan Part 3

The stairs were kind of hard to walk on.

Well, they were made of ice. David kept on until he reached the top, where it split off in two directions. Both hallways, one left and one right, were identical. There was a door directly in front of him, so he timidly opened that first.

Of course, it was locked. How an ice door was locked-that was beyond him.

So he chose to go right. Every single door he encountered was locked. He made it to the end of the hallway and sighed. But then he felt like someone was watching him.

Blocking his path was a young woman with blonde hair so white, it looked like snow.

Not his wife, but...well you understood.

Naturally, he went right into defensive mode. He had a gun, but he didn't want to use that unless he had to. He gripped the rock salt tighter.

"Where is my daughter?"

The blonde frowned. She took a step forward, and her blue dress shimmered with the movement. "She's here. But she tried to kill me!"

David thrust his hand into the rock salt and flung a handful at the woman. She stood, face blank and eyes closed, as the tiny bits hit her face. Nothing happened.

"That was just stupid."

David had to agree with her. What was Emma thinking? Clearly this ice was magical, and wasn't going to be melted by plain rock salt.

Suddenly, David was no longer in the hallway, but in one of the ice rooms of the castle. The salt was in his lap, and he noticed that his hands were frozen together. He looked up to see Emma, Rumple, a girl with reddish hair and...

Impossible.

She hadn't seen him yet, but he saw her. He had so many questions, but those thoughts were chased away when Emma said his name. Impossible girl looked up, and their eyes met.

"About time." Rumple sneered. "Hold up the rock salt."

David was still staring at impossible girl, but he reluctantly took his eyes off her. Emma noticed the exchange.

David used his elbows to shove the salt up, and Rumple closed his eyes in concentration.

David looked to his daughter with a questioning look.

"Her ice is too strong to break through with just his magic. He needs something that already has the power to destroy the ice. Then he'll enchant it, and it should be strong enough."

David nodded.

Rumple opened his eyes. "OK."

David shifted the bag, until some salt came out onto his lap. He put his wrists on the salt, and it quickly began to melt. He silently cheered as the last of the ice became water. He did the same with his ankles, before getting up and helping everyone else. When he got to Impossible Girl, he stared at her as he poured out some salt.

"I remember you."

She just laughed.

"You're the guy I thought was a ghost. Shows what I know."

He finished her ankles and helped her up. They all headed towards the door, and David looked at her. What did she mean by that?

Everyone stopped when they heard screams from the lower level, and a very distinct voice saying, "Where is the girl!?"

Looks like Regina came to play.

Regina was gone in a cloud of black smoke.

His sword clattered to the ground as the wedding guests began to stir with panic. Everyone was terrified of Regina, most definitely. He didn't want his people (he was still getting used to saying his people) to live in fear.

A few months later they were riding through the forest. Snow had stayed behind for the baby.

David couldn't contain his excitement. He was truly going to be a father. This was something he'd only dreamed about. If only his mother could have lived long enough to see her grandchild.

There was a loud snap of a twig. David heard the word imbecile as footsteps approached.

His men aimed their arrows toward the noise. Horses whinnied at the intruder.

Then, out from the shadows stepped a woman holding a mirror.

She had a long veil over her face, concealing her identity.

The men kept their positions. David got off his horse and strode to the girl.

"Who are you?"

She only stood there, completely still. He stepped even closer, and saw a face on the mirror. Could this woman wield magic?

"I said, who are you?"

The woman took a step closer to him, and put a hand on his shoulder. The men tightened their bows, but he told them to stand down. Who was this girl? She stepped away, and stood still once more. David retreated back to his horse. He was holding the reigns when he heard it.

One word from the lace of the veil.

"Impossible."

His eyes widened, and he turned around to see her retreating form. The men asked if she should be followed.

He just shook his head. One day he'd meet her.

One day he'd know what exactly was impossible.

And apparently, she wanted the baby healthy, because there was a bottle labeled "Healthy Pregnancy" in his pocket when he returned.


	11. Emma Swan Part 2

**I just want to say that I'm so happy that people are reading this story, but PLEEEASSSSE leave a review. You don't have to, but I love to know what you guys think. **

**Anyway, recap! David reaches the ice castle and the rock salt ends up being useful.**

**In the fairytale world, David encounters the Impossible Girl and she gives him the "Healthy Pregnancy" potion. (The one that will actually make Snow have the baby faster)**

**I do not own OUAT, I do own Azalea Lockes!**

Ch. 11

Emma Swan Part 2

Emma still wasn't exactly sure who this girl was, but she decided that they had more important matters. She suggested they go inside the castle and confront the ice queen. Rumple didn't seem too happy, but he didn't argue. The girl was obviously giddy. "What are you so happy about?" She smiled. "The ultimate research subject."

Emma furrowed her brows. How could this kid be so damn happy about a powerful ice witch? Queen? Woman?

How could she be happy about someone unknown and dangerous?

She hoped like hell that this wasn't her fault. She already ruined Regina's life, and now she brought a powerful ice thing to Storybrooke. Those four days, despite their short length, seemed like paradise to her now. And she still had to talk to Hook later. She had originally wanted to restart their relationship, but with all that was happening the conversation might take a different turn.

The woman stood at the top of the steps as they entered the castle, almost as if waiting for them. She smirked as the three walked forward cautiously.

"I'm in no mood to play, but I won't hesitate to hurt you. If you just leave me alone, however, I won't bother you."

Emma wanted to just walk out and leave her be, but she knew that magic like whatever this was, was far too dangerous to release unsupervised into the forest.

"We can't do that. I'm sorry."

She was about to say or do something when a girl with reddish hair stepped in. The blonde before Emma gasped.

"Go. It's dangerous here!"

The girl just shook her head. "You don't have to protect me, I'm not afraid."

The blonde walked towards the ginger. "No, Anna, please!"

The girl pressed. Emma could see ice lady getting more and more frustrated.

"Please don't shut me out again, you don't have to keep your distance! For the first time in...in...in forever, I finally understand."

Ice lady snapped. "You're just going to make it worse!"

Her hands shot out, and a tendril of magic hit the girl. Emma noticed how limp she went, and was about to run to her, when the ice lady was suddenly gone. They were all in a room, sitting on the floor. Their hands and ankles were bound with ice. Even Anna was there, now unconscious.

"Get us out of here, Gold."

He tried for a good ten minutes.

"I need a catalyst. Her magic is too strong to diminish on my own. I need something that already has melting properties, and then I'll enchant it to be strong enough."

Emma sighed. Where were they gonna get fire?

"Salt. We need salt." Azalea chimed in.

OK, where were they gonna get salt? It's not like in the movies where they can call for backup...

Except she was the sheriff.

So Rumple used magic to get her phone out of her pocket and dial his number.

He started to speak, but she cut him off.

"Hey sweetheart where-"

"I need backup in the woods!" That should get his attention.

He paused a moment. "Where in the woods?"

"Ice castle-you can't miss it. Hurry, she's got me, Rumple..." She could name names, but she doubted he knew them, Plus, time was limited.

"...and two others I don't know."

He didn't even hesitate. "I'm on my way."

She was end the conversation when Rumple said "Salt!"

She called out his name quickly. "David!"

He grunted in a way that said he was still there. Thank god. "Bring salt. You know, for the ice." He just said "Got it" and hung up. She soon realized that she had said 'she's' got them. He didn't even ask who she was, just said he'd come. Her dad would do anything for her. She smiled halfheartedly.

Now was only to wait. And maybe get some answers.

"So you've been watching me, huh?"

Z looked up. "Yes. It was my job to make sure you were born before the curse so Regina could kill you."

This girl worked with Regina? She inquired about it.

"I was forced. Regina saved my life and I owed her. As soon as Rumplestiltskin does what he's promised, our deal is over."

Emma stiffened. She wasn't sure what to make of this girl. She couldn't use her superpower, because she honestly had no idea if she was lying or not. It was like she wasn't readable.

"I'm telling the truth."

She looked over at the brown-haired girl. The ginger slowly started to come awake.

"Can you read minds?"

The girl chuckled. "No. I told you, I've been watching you. I know exactly who you are and how you'll react. For that you can blame our Dark buddy over here."

Emma sat there thinking about the girl. Whatever she was, Emma wasn't too sure that she liked it. But she had one more nagging question. "Who are you?"

Z looked up, confused. "My name is-"

"No, I mean what's your story?" She laughed. She didn't mean what fairytale, but that would work too.

She saw Azalea pause. Obviously she was weighing the pro and cons of telling her.

"No one special. Just a regular sweet pea, nothing else."

So the cons outweighed the pros.

Anna was now fully awake, and Email noticed a streak of white in her hair.

Personally, she didn't think the girl could pull it off. But it wasn't her hair to judge.

* * *

Emma stared longingly out the window of Jacqueline's car. Third home so far, and once again no dice. She felt the stinging feeling of tears in her eyes, but quickly blinked them away. Why cry over someone who won't cry over you?

The fake leather rubbed against her arms. She hated Jacqueline's car. I always brought either false hope or broken dreams. Her social worker adjusted the mirror and looked to make sure Emma was OK.

From the outside, yes, she seemed fine. Not OK, but fine.

There was a breeze blowing Emma's hair around. She wasn't a fan o wind in her hair when she's depressed.

"Could you please close the window?"

Jacqueline sighed. "The window isn't open, Em."

Emma felt, all of a sudden, like someone was watching her. Someone who'd always been there. She turned around, frantically trying to find whoever it was. Jacqueline watched the girl thrash around, searching.

"Emma, what's wrong?"

She didn't answer. Because honestly, she wasn't really sure.


	12. Cpt Hook

**IMPORTANT ULTIMATUM AT THE BOTTOM! I NEED REVIEWS BC I'M AT THE POINT WHERE I DON'T KNOW IF ANYONE CARES!**

**Summary time! After Anna is hit with Elsa's magic, Emma asks Azalea about watching her all her life.**

**In the REAL WORLD (woah) we see young Emma feeling like someone is watching her after being picked up from a foster home.**

**I don't own OUAT, just Azalea Lockes.**

**(Also, yay, Hook chapter!)**

Ch. 12

Cpt. Hook

Hook came down the steps and walked into Granny's diner. He woke up a bit late, but it seemed to be the right time. Emma was there, seated by the window. Gold was there as well, talking to a young girl.

An eerily familiar girl.

Suddenly, Hook found himself sitting in the closest booth, scoping her out. That was definitely her.

The runaway Azalea Lockes.

He continued staring until Ruby came over to take his order. "Just some juice for me."

She retreated to get it, and he looked back over. Azalea and Gold were now leaving.

He looked down at the table. Ruby returned with his juice, and he silently thanked her.

He saw dark jeans in his peripheral. Emma Swan was standing there, looking like the angel she was.

She smiled, and he did the same back. How could he not fully appreciate the woman he loved?

"Hey. Look, I know we haven't talked for the past couple of days." His heart leapt at her words. He wasn't sure of he was happy or scared, however. "I want to...but right now I'm on a case and I have to go. Can we meet here at seven?"

He nodded. He wanted to talk to her about the girl. If she was with Rumple, she might be getting herself into troubled waters. He liked the lass, though there had always been something a bit off. Not a natural sailor by any means, but she was a hell of a lackey.

"Aye. I want to talk with you as well."

The door opened and a chillingly cold burst of air came in. It was freezing Hook, despite his excessive leather.

Emma covered her arms, and Hook followed suit. Dr. Whale, who had opened the door, looked at everyone, apologetic. "Uh..." he muttered gracefully. "Sorry?"

Emma turned to Hook, who was very interested in the weather change. "I'll see you at seven."

He nodded, and looked at her. They locked eyes for a moment before both turning away.

"Yeah. See you later, lass."

He watched her walk away, appraised her backside, and called Ruby over.

"On second thought, love, I'll have the breakfast special."

For some reason he felt he'd need it.

Hook called Smee over. They were docked near the enchanted Forest, and would be there for the rest of the month.

The crew was fixing up the ship, and Smee carefully avoided mop handles as he navigated the deck.

"Yes, cap'n."

"Where's the girl?"

He had taken in a seventeen-year-old runaway by the name of Azalea Lockes. She hadn't been much of a sailor, but her work ethic was unmatched. She tried, and she tried hard. That was an exceptional trait that Killian wished every one of his men could inherit. Sadly they were all a bunch of lazy bums.

"Below deck. Want me to get her?"

The captain nodded, and Smee once again danced his way around the crew.

Hook was in need of company. He had just spent 300 years with his men, and gods did he love them, but he needed someone new. Someone refreshing. He found Azalea Lockes to be that very person.

She walked over to him with a smile planted on her face. Her face was caked in grime, as was usual for her.

"Gods, wipe yourself clean. You look like you've been working on a pirate ship."

She laughed and used her bare hand over her cheeks. It only spread the dirt around. Hook laughed as well and asked her to sit by the bow.

The planks were wet and dirty, but neither minded. Hook didn't like a dirty ship, sure, but he wasn't afraid of _some_ dirt.

"So you told me you were running away. What from?"

She looked down. Her policy was to tell no one of what happened, and she would follow through with that.

"Family issues. The extent of which you wouldn't understand."

They had known each other for a week, but they felt an instant spark of friendship. Not strong enough to tell all, but enough to feel comfortable.

Hook nodded. "I had family issues of my own once. My father abandoned me."

Azalea looked at him, and he offered a small smile. She smiled back.

"So did mine."

He stared at her, the brown curls pulled into a messy braid, blue eyes sad and haunting. He'd never seen her upset, only chipper.

The subject matter was to blame, he decided.

"What's your favorite color?"

She brightened and answered instantaneously. "Sea green."

He laughed. "Mine too!"

They talked about many things that day. She told him of her family's porridge making. He talked of him and his brother's sea adventures (before Neverland). She spoke of her sister's hate, and he promised to convince her to love her.

He smiled as the sun set, because for once in his life he had a friend with damage similar to his own.

"Thank you." he heard.

"Whatever for, darling?"

She looked straight into his eyes, and then ran at him. She hugged him so fiercely he thought she might break his spine.

"For taking me in and being a good person about it. You may have a fake hand, but you've got a real heart."

She said she better be back to busywork do some cleaning before they had to sleep. The rest of the crew was out having a drink, so the two were alone.

He let her go, and thought about her. There was something holding her back. Sure, she was happy...but there was something preventing her from being completely happy.

He sighed and joined her below deck for a meal.

**Guys. **

**You guys.**

**I seriously have no idea if you like this story-it has one review.**

**I just want to know if you like it! Just a quick "good job" or "i hate it".**

**I. Don't. F-ing. Care.**

**If there are no reviews or anything, I'm gonna cry. **

**It's not that I want to be praised. I really don't. I just want to know what you think! That's it! And if you guys don't like it, why am I continuing?**

**For those of you reading that are also writers, you may understand. If you were writing this story, and it kept getting more followers but no reviews, wouldn't you be frustrated? **

**I'm sorry for going all 'crazy writer wants feedback' on you, I'm just not sure if I should keep going.**

**Let me know. Message me, even. Whatever. But if no one lets me know how they feel I might be inclined to just abandon this to continue with my other writing. The choice is yours, guys. I just don't see the point in taking time to update, when no one is letting me know if they like what I'm doing. And I'm getting to the reeeeeeeeeeeeallllllllyyyyyyyy good, exciting part. **

**So if you want to see that, tell me. If you don't, tell me. **

**I just want to know you guys are there and reading.**

**Sorry for acting so crazy.**

**I honestly love this story, and I legit wanna share it with you.**

**Love, WWG**


	13. Azalea Lockes Part 2

**SINCERE APOLOGY AT THE BOTTOM OF THIS PAGE: PLEASE READ!  
**

**Recap! We see Hook's side of his and Emma's conversation in the diner.**

**In fairytale world, Hook and Azalea spend all day talking on the boat, as they're becoming good friends.**

**I don't own OUAT, I do own Azalea Lockes!**

**(P.S.- Unless you've figured it out already this is where we find out Azalea's fairytale character! EXCITE!)**

Ch. 13

Azalea Lockes/Z Part 2

Z rushed from the room. Regina was her friend, despite their less-than-equal relationship. Emma and David were right behind her. They reached the staircase and saw that, at the bottom, Regina and Elsa were battling.

Z knew that Regina wouldn't win. Elsa was too unstable, and definitely too powerful.

"Regina, stop!"

Elsa and Regina both looked up. "She's too powerful! We have to just leave her be!"

Elsa would ruin their plan if she killed Regina.

Regina naturally thought that was ridiculous. "She kidnapped you. I'll kill her!"

Z felt happy at Regina's devotion, but upset at her blindness.

"We'll deal with her later! Let's just go!"

In her entire life, she'd never had no plan. But then again, she'd never faced a real villain that she wasn't friends with. Oh god did that say something about her.

Regina wanted desperately to kill the woman before her, but she knew that Z was right, as always.

She withdrew the fireball that had been simmering in her hand. Elsa also withdrew the icy tendrils that had been emanating from her hand.

Z rushed forward, practically slipping on the ice stairs. She walked over to Elsa and put a hand on hers.

"We'll leave you alone. But if you want, Rumplestiltskin can teach you magic."

The mentioned man looked up in alarm. "No, I can't. She was in my basement full of magic even I can't control, remember?"

Z glared at him. "Did you even try?"

Elsa huffed. "He didn't."

Rumple sighed. Z knew he couldn't pass up the chance to teach her, and he agreed to the idea. Anna rushed to her sister, and they embraced happily.

They were on their way home in no time. Well, Emma and David were. The weather subsided and went back to its normal temperature.

"You still owe me." Z said, crossing her arms and giving Rumplestiltskin an evil smirk.

Regina put a hand on Z's shoulder. She looked at the older woman with confusion.

"Z." She looked at Rumplestiltskin who took the cue to give them privacy.

"Don't go through with the plan."

Z blinked at her. "Why?"

Regina smiled sadly. Z could tell she'd done some thinking since this morning.

"Evil had never gotten me what I want. If I do more, I'll lose everyone I love. I don't even blame Emma any more, as crazy as it may sound."

Z agreed with that statement. She could tell Regina was trying to take the better path, and she couldn't be mad at her for it. Plus, she hated the idea of tearing a family apart for something someone didn't mean to do. Hell, she hated the idea if tearing a family apart period. Z smiled, and without any warning, hugged Regina. She returned it, but after a few moments she shoved her away. "That's enough." Z laughed at her friend.

"So you don't have to become the old you. And you're no longer indebted to me."

But Z wanted one of those things anyway.

"I want Rumple to change me back. Plan or no plan." And she did. She needed to talk to her family, and she needed to be herself again. Regina nodded and hugged the girl.

"Don't worry" Z said knowingly. "We'll always be friends."

"I wouldn't go that far."

They both smiled, and Regina started out of the forest. Rumple came up to her, waiting. She turned to face him, and he grinned. "Are you ready?"

As I'll ever be.

The pair strode over to the well and looked down at its clear water. Rumple started waving his hands as smoke engulfed the structure, including them. The sky above grew dim with every passing moment, until finally they were completely submerged in the dark bubble. Back when he had first done it, Rumple could just snap his fingers. But he was out of practice, and he wasn't as spry.

The smoke began to clear, and Z coughed. One minute she's thinking about all the different types of creatures have a wing span larger than the inches, the next her mind is blank as a board.

What was she doing? She didn't remember. When had she gotten there? More importantly, where was there?

"What color is the grass?" Azalea looked at the man before her. She didn't know him, it she answered anyway.

"Whatever color it wants to be."

Rumple strode past her, smirking. "I have my letter, you have nothingness again."

His footsteps were heard on his way out, but not before he called, "Pleasure doing business with you."

Z was confused.

What letter was he talking about?

She shook her head, and started walking.

But where was she going again?

She had no desire whatsoever to do anything the king said.

He was a tyrant, his son was bloodthirsty, and they were both undeniably selfish. Why would she ever want to prove herself to either of them? They could hold her prisoner, but they couldn't force her to pass the test. She noticed the purple sunset and began to yawn. The arrogance surrounding her was exhausting.

"Tomorrow we will see if you are worthy."

She sighed. Whatever test there was, she had to fail it. She wasn't giving up her dream to marry some douche.

The bedroom she was brought to made her eyes bulge. It wasn't the huge fireplace, the plush chairs or the magnificent molding.

It was the fact that her bed had twelve mattresses.

She turned to the guard nearest her, and smiled awkwardly. "I only need one mattress."

The guard stared at her before growling out, "It's a family tradition. If you don't accept, you'll be in the meat grinder."

The mattresses were not a tradition, she read all about royal families before coming here. But she didn't want to be turned into Azalea stew.

So she was shoved into the room and the door locked behind her. It had no windows, she couldn't pick the lock and she wasn't even going to try to scream.

This whole thing had been stupid. She just wanted to walk past this ridiculous castle. She yawned again, and figured she could just sleep in one of the chairs by the fireplace. Of course, Rumplestiltskin's little gift to her caused her to be extremely aware of the wood underneath the plush cushion. Touch seemed to only be the sense that he heightened. She sighed and looked over at the twelve mattresses. They were probably really comfy. She yawned again.

The only problem was how to get to the top. Except, as she rounded the bed, she saw that the side opposite the door she had entered held a ladder. With a deep breath, she put her hands on an upper rung and started to climb.

The ladder was pretty rickety, and she almost fell a few times, but she made it to the top. The mattress up there was done up with beautiful linens in a gold brocade, and red accents. She gingerly rolled onto the bed and under the sheets. Sleep immediately overtook her.

When she woke up, though, she groaned. Those mattresses were uncomfortable as all hell.

She climbed down the ladder and sat in one of the chairs. She thought about her uncomfortable night of tossing and turning. She'd slept on worse beds than these and still had a decent night's sleep.

She figured there was something wrong. She inspected the underside of every mattress to make sure nothing was stuck in between them.

She got to the bottommost mattress and looked underneath. At first, she couldn't see anything.

Then she saw a tiny, light green object. She pulled it out, looked it over, and did a double take.

Was it a pea?

I mean, it was petrified, but still. How did a pea get under the mattress?

She didn't think about it too much, just stuck it in her cleavage. The doors opened then, and the guards took her to breakfast.

The double douches were already there. James was speaking as she took her seat.

"And apparently, they want us to keep control of the box since we will be cleaning the creatures up."

"Midas will surely compensate?"

"As soon as they're all gone. Shouldn't take more than a year to kill them all. Keep the box in the vault, we'll be fine."

Azalea knew what they were talking about. She read about a box full of evil creatures. A woman opened it in Midas kingdom, and now dragons and other fearsome beasts reside on the land. James must have been tasked with their disposal.

"How did you sleep?"

The men were looking at her now. She raised her eyebrows and took a bite of the pastry before her.

"Horribly."

She couldn't mistake the smiles that formed on their faces.

"I found this little bugger under a mattress, made me toss and turn."

Maybe if she didn't say which mattress it was, they wouldn't think her crazy. James stood up and sat at the seat next to her.

"You are a special one." He smiled a dazzling smile. She rolled her eyes and continued eating.

"Not only did you feel the pea through twelve mattresses, but you even found it. I'm impressed that you passed the test so thoroughly."

James had been speaking into her ear then, and she stiffened at his words. He snake an arm around her waist.

How had she not put together that that was the test? She was tired, she didn't care she just wanted to seep. Her laziness had cost her. They'd never let her leave.

"I'm not marrying him."

James retracted his arm and looked down at her. "I'll give you everything."

She didn't want everything. She saw one of the guards talking and decided on one last escape.

She dashed away from James, past the guard, and toward the humongous front door.

**SHE'S THE PRINCESS FROM THE PRINCESS AND THE PEA! YAYYY! (Also, in case you didn't figure it out, (i made it obvious guys) her sister is Goldilocks from Goldilocks and the Three Bears)**

**SINCERE APOLOGY  
**

**So I want to apologize to everyone for my whole freak-out at the end of the last chapter. It was my first day of school and I was overwhelmed and things weren't going well, and I took my frustration out on my readers. I'm soooo sorry to have put you in that position. Thank you, those of you who actually responded. What I did was desperate, stupid and unwarranted. You guys deserved better than a raving lunatic. Everyone uses excuses for not updating or saying something, but there was no excuse for the way I acted.**

**I won't be adding any more ultimatums at the end of my chapters, I promise. I'll stick to descriptions and happy things.  
**

**Again, my deepest apologies for what I said. Well, typed.**

**LOOOOOVVVEEEE,**

**wizardwalkergrizzly**


	14. Rumplestiltskin Part 3

**RECAP! Rumple changes Azalea back to her stupid self after Elsa gets promised magic lessons and ends up not being evil.**

**In fairytale world, Azalea spends her first night in the castle and inadvertently passes the test to be worthy of Prince James.**

**I do not own OUAT, but I do own Azalea Lockes!**

**WARNING:THE SECOND HALF (The half with the Fairytale World) OF THIS CHAPTER IS RATED M**

**I WILL CONTINUE TO MENTION THE M RATED EVENTS THROUGHOUT THE REST OF THE STORY.**

**YOU HAVE BEEN WARNED.**

Belle was reading in one of the large chairs when he arrived at home. He crept up behind her and put his arms around her from behind. She smiled and placed the book in her lap.

"Where have you been for four hours?"

Had it really been that long? The clock read 1:13. Z had come a little after nine that morning.

"With an old client. Turns out a bit of unstable magic is now running rampant, and I've agreed to give it lessons."

Belle looked up at him, slightly smiling. "You're getting nicer."

He came around front to face her, and kneeled. "It's all your fault."

She giggled and leaned forward to kiss him.

Rumple retracted his arms and started for the foyer. He was intent on getting that letter.

"Want anything, Belle?"

She shook her head no. He smiled and said where he'd be.

The folder was sitting right on the end table, and he opened it up quickly.

"To Bae" was sitting right on top. He opened it, and began reading every future he ever saw.

He and Elsa met the next day in a secluded part of the woods. Her sister, who he had accidentally hit with her magic, was recovering with her love, Kristoff. All she had to do was apologize and say she loved her to fix the ice she had put in her heart.

Now she was ready to make sure it never happened again.

"Alright." Rumple stood a good distance away from her. "The first step is to understand where magic comes from. It's hate."

Elsa seemed a bit thrown off by this. "Hate?"

He nodded. "Technically, magic is impure. It has to come from a place that is impure, usually hatred."

Elsa appeared uneasy about the idea. Rumple wasn't going to teach her if she couldn't handle it.

"You need to accept it dearie. Do that and everything will go smoothly."

Elsa went through a tiny debate in her head, or so Rumple thought, before she solemnly nodded.

The first lesson went ok, and Elsa began to head back to her castle. Rumple started out of the forest when suddenly Azalea was there. He inwardly groaned. What could she possibly want now?

"I hate to do this." She was clearly upset.

"But I need to find my family."

Rumple looked at the girl. Tears were threatening to spill over and onto her cheeks.

How could he possibly tell her that he couldn't find her family?

"What's going on here, Z?"

She sniffed. "Azalea. And I know you killed Zelena "

Oh god. She knew? He had to be sure.

"And do you have proof?"

She frowned. "A copy of untouched security footage."

He sighed. She had been watching, copied it, and kept it for leverage.

When she was smart, she was smart.

He nodded. "Fine, I'll help you if you don't show that tape to anyone. Especially Belle."

God, it was going to be a shitty feeling when he told her what happened.

She nodded and they shook hands. He knew she didn't completely understand what just happened, but he knew she understood not to say a word. She wasn't the type to break a promise, or go back on a deal.

She went back on the deal.

Well, it wasn't a deal so much as a threat. But she didn't listen. And the cunning little blondie-sorry, Goldie-hadn't technically told Azalea herself. She convinced their father to do it. Rumple didn't care if she had convinced him to do it himself, she was a little twerp.

He stormed over to the tiny hut. Azalea had set off into the woods as a recluse, apparently. Good. She wouldn't be a bother there.

"I told you two Imbeciles that she could never know!"

The blonde whipped her head around. She stood at the stove over a pot of something boiling.

The father was on a chair, reading the note Azalea had left for the millionth time. He stared at Rumple with tear-filled eyes.

"I'm sorry." The man gently shook his head, clutching the parchment to his chest.

"I'm so sorry, Azalea."

Rumple could tell that one day this girl would find him. She'd find him and make him change her back.

So instead of accepting that fate, he got angry. Angry because this girl, in her purest form, was going to be his downfall.

So he grabbed the boiling pot of water and dumped it onto Goldie's head. She shrieked and flung herself onto the floor. Fred ran to her, but Rumple already had a carving knife. He pinned Fred down and lifted his shirt up. Fred screamed as Rumple began to hack into his skin. Slice after slice until finally, the man stopped moving just as he added the final touch.

Goldie was still on the floor twitching, and Rumple flipped her over. She looked at him, eyes unseeing.

"This is for your insolence!" He spat at her.

He stabbed her in the eye, and she twitched a few more times before going as limp as her father.

Then he ripped open the top of her dress and began carving into her chest. He propped them upright, and scattered various vegetables and spices on them.

He stood back to look at his handiwork.

"This porridge is" on Fred's chest.

"Just right." On Goldie's chest.


	15. Emma Swan Part 3

**Recap time! Rumplestiltskin gives Elsa a magic lesson before Azalea stops by to blackmail him with the security footage of him killing Zelena.**

**In the fairytale world, Rumplestiltskin murders Azalea's family.**

**I don't own OUAT, just my beautiful Azalea Lockes!**

**REVIEW! I LIKE BAD OR GOOD REVIEWS! IDC! REVIEW!**

Ch. 15

Emma Swan Part 3

She looked at herself in the mirror and smiled happily at her dress. David had convinced her to start a relationship with Hook, despite his disdain for the pirate. Emma was sure this would be a good idea. He loved her, she loved him (as she had decided to admit to herself) and Elsa wasn't really a threat after all.

The clock read 6:37, so she grabbed her coat and headed over to the diner.

Hook was already there, wearing his leathers. She sighed and sat down across from him. He smiled wide and she couldn't help but return it. This was it, she said to herself. This was her happy ending, or whatever you wanted to call it.

"You look fantastic, love."

She grinned. "You look like a pirate."

He smirked. "Well, dress for success, right?"

Cheeky bastard.

"So about talking to you…" she started slowly.

Hook nodded. "I'd like to go first, if that's all right."

She looked up at him, and he looked very serious. What could be on his mind?

"It's about a girl who was in here earlier, Azalea Lockes."

Who the hell was that? She'd never heard of an Azalea. "No idea."

He looked confused. "You were watching her like a hawk, when I looked over at you."

"We are talking about this morning, right?" Hook nodded.

But the only person she had been watching was Gold and….

"Do you mean Z?"

Hook narrowed his eyes. "I don't know any Z."

The two looked at each other, each confused in their own respect.

"Brown hair, blue eyes, kind of weird?"

Hook's eyes widened at her description. "That's her. She was with Rumplestilitskin?"

Emma nodded. "I guess Z is a nickname." Hook agreed.

"Well, what I wanted to know is why she was working with the crocodile. I'm fond of her, and I don't want her getting into any trouble."

Really? He was still calling Gold 'crocodile'. She shook her head. The girl seemed fine when she was working with Gold.

Wait.

Fond of her?

Emma internally groaned. Of course they had been a thing once, he was 300 years old. Who knew how many ladies he'd screwed? I mean, this one was kind of young, but they were fairytale characters.

"I think she's fine. I'm not sure what exactly they were doing together, but apparently Gold owed her."

Hook seemed intrigued at this. "Gold owed her?"

Emma just nodded. "Thanks, lass." He smiled appreciatively.

"What did you want to talk about, then?"

Emma gulped. This was the moment she had been waiting for. But now that she had heard about Hook's little friend, she decided to put it off for the moment.

"Well…" She hated to do this, to seem like that girl.

"Were you and Z...Azalea...a thing?"

It was done.

Hook looked at Emma with an unreadable expression. Oh no, was he mad? Had she said something to offend him?

"What, romantically? Never."

Emma felt a weight off her chest. Even if they had been, she wouldn't have been mad. It would have happened ages ago. Still, it was nice knowing.

"Sorry to ask you that…" Even if the result was positive, she still felt stupid doing it at all.

"It's alright love. Just making sure I'm yours and yours alone."

He was joking, but she knew that it was true. "Yes. "she breathed.

He looked at her with a surprised face. He never thought that she'd say something to actually reveal how she felt.

Ruby came up to them, breaking the moment. They ordered their drinks and she went off to get them.

"Hook…" she stopped. His name was not Hook.

"Killian." She liked the sound of that name. "I know that you care for me."

He was listening very intently. "And at first, I thought I hated you and the attention and you being there for me."

Ruby set their drinks down. "Ready to order?"

Both Emma and Killian looked at her, and at the same time said, "No!"

Ruby put her hands up. "Ok, jeez, I'll come back later!"

She scurried off, and Emma looked back at Killian. "But I realized that that's all I've ever wanted...to have people be there for me. And you keep doing it, and I'm always so surprised, but so happy. Because no one's ever stayed before."

She felt the tears, but forced them back. She wasn't ready to cry in front of him, at least not over this.

"So I'm going to give you the same thing. I want to be with you, by your side, always."

She saw his face, a mix of pure love and pure elation. He knew what she was saying, even if she didn't.

He shot across the table in seconds to give her a long, passionate kiss.

They broke apart, and he seated himself.

The two just looked at each other before Emma's stomach growled.

"Hungry there, lass?" He was teasing her.

"Starving."

At the same time they both looked over at the counter and said,

"Ruby!"

* * *

Emma drove silently across the state line and into Maine.

The ten-year-old next to her was silently reading for once. Most of the car ride he hadn't shut up about the fairytale characters. She earnestly wanted to listen to everything he had to say, but she was tired, it was her birthday and her feet were killing her from those heels.

The night sky was definitely more beautiful in Maine. She could see the stars for once. The moon poked out from the trees and cast a calming glow on her. She basked in it.

Suddenly, she felt a creeping sensation up her spine. One that she had felt once before, in a social workers' car when she was twelve.

The feeling that somebody was watching her.

The car continued on down the road, and as she neared the town the kid had mentioned, the feeling grew.

She knew, logically, that no one was actually watching her. But it didn't make the feeling go away.

Good lord, it was awful.

She saw a sign that said "Welcome to Storybrooke".

Finally, she sighed.

As soon as she passed it, the feeling of somebody watching her was dialed up ten times. She was starting to panic, fear taking a hold of her. But she had to stay calm for the kid.

He showed her how to get to his mom's house, and when she pulled up out front the paranoia was at an all-time high.

But as soon as a black-haired woman opened the door, the feeling immediately went away,

Emma sighed in relief as she watched the woman hug her son.

My son, Emma thought for a moment.

But she brushed that away so she could deal with this woman, and head right back home so she could take the bath she promised herself, and forget the kid ever existed.


	16. David Nolan Part 4

**To sum it up...Emma went on her date with Hook to find out that he's "fond" of Azalea (but in a friendly way).**

**Pilot Emma drives Henry back to Regina's, only to find that the horrible feeling she gets in the car is amplified after she crosses the town line.**

**I do not own OUAT, just Azalea Lockes!**

Ch. 16

David Nolan Part 4

"You still owe me."

That's what David and Emma heard as they exited the woods. He wanted to stay and talk to the girl, but she was busy with Rumple. He'd wait for her at the edge of the woods.

Emma seemed to be preoccupied with something, and David immediately was brought back to his daughter.

"What is it?"

She huffed and rolled her eyes. "Nothing you want to hear about."

He grabbed her shoulder and stopped her. She looked at him with a worried expression. "Anything bothering you is something I want to hear about."

She crossed her arms. Her expression said 'oh really?' David was scared now. What if it was something he really didn't want to hear about?

"It's Hook."

David released a breath he didn't know he was holding. Of course it was, he thought. But he knew that for Emma this was something serious.

"Oh?"

Emma stopped and leaned against a tree. "I was going to tell him that I want to be with him."

David nodded. Whether it was Hook or not, this was a big step for her. He couldn't help feeling a bit proud.

"So what's the problem?"

He honestly just wanted Emma happy. She didn't look very happy right now.

"I don't think I should tell him that now."

He wasn't sure if he was relieved or not.

"Because he's a pirate?"

"No, because I'm a mess."

And there it was. David went over to her and threw his arms around her. She hugged him back as he stroked her hair.

"Emma, the guy is clearly in love with you. He doesn't care if you're a mess, he doesn't care if you're an orphan, because those things don't define you."

She relaxed in his arms before pulling away. He could see that she had needed to hear that.

"I'm going to go to the station. Take the day off and be with Mary Margaret."

He smiled at his daughter, who nodded and walked away and out of the forest.

David heard footsteps behind him, so he whipped around. Rumplestiltskin was coming towards him.

"Mr. Nolan." The man said, before exiting the woods as well.

He knew that the only person left, aside from Elsa and Anna, was the impossible girl.

He started in her direction, and saw her coming towards him. She was looking at the ground as she walked.

"Hey!"

She looked up, startled. "It's you." David said, almost to himself.

She stood by a tree, her eyes curiously staring at him.

"You were in the castle when I first got there."

The girl's face went expressionless for a moment. He patiently waited as she thought it over.

"Yes." She responded, simply.

"Well…" David began. He thought she'd say more.

"Um, why were you there?"

The question sounded intrusive, he realized. She didn't seem to mind and looked at him as though the answer was obvious.

"Why, I lived there."

She lived there. So she was James' sister after all, he supposed. Or a cousin. Either way, she might be family.

"Are you a relation to James or George?"

She blinked a few times. He waited once more, but this time what he got surprised him.

"What do you mean?"

Apparently she didn't understand the question. It was a fairly simple question. Maybe she was slow.

"Are you James' sister?" That seemed to be straightforward.

"No." He waited, but she didn't elaborate.

"Are you James' cousin?"

"No."

He scratched the back of his neck and furrowed his brows. She must be slow, or something.

"How do you know James?"

She lit up at that. "I trespassed on the castle grounds, then his father made me go to sleep on twelve mattresses, then I tried to run away, so they kept me prisoner. James visited me and we fell in love...somehow."

Even she didn't seem to know how she got involved with his brother. But at least, now he knew. She was sort of his sister-in-law. He looked like his brother, and for a moment she thought he was alive.

"You're the guy I thought was a ghost."

But something else she said caught his attention.

Twelve mattresses.

"What is your name?"

She curtsied very low and awkwardly.

"Azalea Lockes. For some reason, I know your name is David Nolan."

For some reason?

Azalea Lockes was a very confusing person.

David said his goodbyes and headed out of the forest, intent on finding Snow and spending time with his son before obsessing over the weirdness that was Azalea Lockes.

* * *

This castle was much too large.

David could never find his way around, and since he only stayed there for a month altogether, he never truly figured out where everything was.

He was supposed to go to the room with the records of conquests. He was trying to get in 23 years of education in one week. Today's cram session was conquests. He had twenty-five minutes to get the necessary scrolls and report back to his tutor.

He found where he thought the room should be. The door was large and oaken, with wrought iron hinges.

He opened the door and coughed as a cloud of dust entered his mouth. The room was dark. Apparently, even James didn't need to know that much about history, because this room hadn't been used in a year, maybe less. Either way, it was abandoned.

He grabbed a torch off of the hallway wall and entered the room.

There were no scrolls.

There was an empty fireplace, with two large chairs and a table between them. The room was pretty much empty otherwise, except for a towering mass in the opposite corner.

David shone light on it, and had to look closer just to make sure he was seeing properly.

There was a bed with about ten too many mattresses.

He counted and found out that there were twelve altogether. He could see linens on the top one.

Somebody was meant to sleep on this spire of sleep?

David wasn't exactly sure why this room existed. He wasn't sure what use anyone could have of it, aside from almost dying if you rolled off the top.

Realizing he had no idea how long it had been, David rushed from the room and shut the door behind him.

He had to find those scrolls!


End file.
